The instant invention relates to electrophotocopying machines, and more particularly to a molded scraper blade unit used for cleaning the pressure fixing rollers of an electrophotocopying machine.
In pressure fixture photocopiers, the developed image is fixed to the copy sheet paper by feeding the copy sheet bearing the unfixed toner between a pair of heated or unheated pressure fixing rollers which cooperate to force the toner particles into the copy sheet. In the course of the fixing process, some of the toner particles adhere to the fixing rollers, which if not removed immediately, may appear on other portions of the copy sheet being processed or on subsequent sheets. It is therefore a common practice to provide a device to remove the excess toner accumulated on the rollers, one such device being a scraper blade. However, conventional scraper blades tend to generate noise (chatter), and, owing to insufficient rigidity, to twist. Accordingly, the instant invention provides a scraping device for the fixing rollers in an electrophotocopying machine which reduces scraper noise, increases scraper rigidity and decreases twisting of the scraper blade.